Tightwad

/ˈtaɪt.wɑːd/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A person who is unwilling to spend money; a miser.

He's such a tightwad that he won't even buy coffee at work.

A person who is overly frugal or stingy.

Her tightwad nature means she always looks for coupons before shopping.

Someone who hoards money and avoids spending it.

His friends often joke that he’s a tightwad because he never treats anyone to dinner.

A derogatory term for someone with extreme thriftiness.

Don't be such a tightwad; sometimes you have to spend money to enjoy life.

The word 'tightwad' combines 'tight', meaning stingy or not willing to part with money, and 'wad', which refers to a lump or mass (of money).

penny-pinching

Being stingy or reluctant to spend money.

living on a shoestring

Living with a very small budget.

breaking the bank

Spending all of one's money, often used in a negative context regarding extravagance.

miserly

Unwilling to spend or share money.

stingy

Unwilling to give or spend; miserly.

cheap

Inexpensive, but can imply that someone is unwilling to spend money.

Cheapskate

He's such a cheapskate; he wouldn't even buy a coffee.

Skinflint

Being a skinflint, she never spends a dime on herself.